Olympus E-PL2 User Feedback

[chip_chipowski]

<p>I am close to purchasing a refurb E-PL2. Basically it fits my desires for a simple MILC - plus I like the shape of the grip and the overal style of the camera. It would be nice to have a control dial like the E-P2, but it looks like you can use the lower control wheel in similar fashion. My only real hesitation is that it might be nice to have an articulated or tilting LCD screen. But if I can find it for under $300 with the collapsable kit lens, that is just too good a value. </p>

<p>If there are E-PL2 users out there - are you satisfied with the camera? Would you recommend it or have you found major shortcomings? I am not looking for state-of-the-art. Just an easy to use, quality mirrorless that I can carry around for casual/impromptu photos. Thanks for any feedback.</p>

[robert_landrigan]

<p>I tried out the E-PL2 for the same reasons you're looking for, and found it came close, but not close enough to keep. At 300 bucks, it's a better camera than any point and shoot at that range, but all in all, for the same uses, the Nex-5N or Panasonic GX-1 are obviously better, if more expensive choices. Just too hard to use manual controls, and the AF was not as good as I would like.</p>

[chip_chipowski]

<p>Robert - thanks for the response. If you don't mind, can you tell me more about difficulty using manual controls? Are we talking about difficulty changing aperture while in A mode or difficulty managing multiple controls?</p>

[bruce_rubenstein]

<p>http://www.m43reviews.com/olympus-e-pl2/</p>

[Greg M]

<p>The little control dial you spin to set many functions that runs around the four-way control can be a little tedious to master. There's a "feel" to it you have to get used to. Otherwise, it's easy to accidently press one of the four spots on the four-way and change settings in error. That dial on the E-PL2 does not, to me, feel much different in use compared to the same dial on the E-P3, but the E-P3 also has, like the E-P2 a more convenient second dial that makes doing a lot of setting changes much easier.</p>

[laur1]

<p>I like my E-PL2 very much. I reviewed it <a href="http://laurphoto.blogspot.com/2011/11/olympus-pen-e-pl2.html">here</a>. Its sensor is as good as that of any other Pen camera and its style is better too.</p>

[rparmar]

<p>Rather late to the party, but I think the E-PL2 is likely the bargain of the PEN line at the moment. I miss the thumb wheel from the E-P1/2, but not as much as I thought I would, since I generally use manual lenses. For those I have an aperture dial on the lens and so only need to adjust (with any regularity) exposure compensation on the camera. The wheel does fine for that. A single press of "OK" can take me to ISO. </p>

<p>The form factor and large grip make this a winner over several other models. The E-P3 is better for having the second controller, but it's a lot more money. More comments on my blog (in various articles). </p>

[chip_chipowski]

<p>Thanks everyone for the feedback. I've gone back and forth between E-PL2 and E-P2 mainly over the thumb wheel. But I really like the grip on the E-PL2.</p>

<p>Robin - how do you like using manual lenses on the E-PL2? E-PL2 supports stop down metering, right? Any difficulty using manual focus?</p>

[laur1]

<blockquote>

<p>E-PL2 supports stop down metering, right? </p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /><br>

You don't need stop down metering with manual lenses - the camera meters at the selected aperture and displays on LCD how the image would actually look like with the selected settings (i.e., it will look underexposed or overexposed). Very convenient and easy to use.</p>